Pakistan grab Super 8 spot, India, South Africa stay perfect

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP):

Sahibzada Farhan smashed his first century in the format and Usman Tariq confused Namibia with mystery spin as Pakistan secured a Super Eight spot at cricket’s Twenty20 World Cup with a 102-run win yesterday.

Elsewhere, defending champions India beat the Netherlands by 17 runs to finish unbeaten in Group A, while South Africa chased down a victory target of 123 with 40 balls to spare against the United Arab Emirates to remain undefeated in Group D.

In Colombo, Pakistan opening batter Farhan made 100 not out off 58 balls with four sixes and 11 boundaries. Captain Salman Ali Agha hit 38, while Farhan and Shadab Khan (36 not out) carried Pakistan to 199-3 against Namibia in Group A.

Tariq, who has a distinctive pause-and-bowl action, then grabbed 4-16 and Khan took 3-19 as Namibia were dismissed for 97 in 17.3 overs, their fourth straight loss in the group.

Pakistan needed a win at Sinhalese Sports Club to end any hope for the United States and Farhan’s blazing century provided the 2009 champions with a strong total.

Farhan’s second 50 came off just 20 balls. Khan provided a late flurry, smashing three sixes.

Namibia opener Louren Steenkamp top-scored in the chase with a 22-ball 23, and Alexander Busing-Volschenk (20) was the other batter to reach double figures as Pakistan’s spinners struck at regular intervals.

Tariq bowled a double-wicket maiden over and baffled the middle order with his sharp googlies and carrom balls as Namibia lost six wickets for just 18 runs after collapsing from 79-4.

66 off 31 balls

In Ahmedabad, Shivam Dube hit 66 off 31 balls to help India recover from 69-3 to reach 193-6 before the Netherlands replied with 176-7.

India, who had already qualified for the Super Eights, stretched their winning record to 12 games in T20 World Cups since 2024.

Abhishek Sharma fell for a third straight duck in the competition, bowled by Aryan Dutt in the first over.

Dutt also accounted for the in-form Ishan Kishan (18).

Tilak Varma (31) and skipper Suryakumar Yadav then added 30 off 28 balls. Yadav was dropped on 13 and went on to score 34.

The acceleration came with Dube’s arrival at the crease. He hit six sixes, using the slower pace of the Dutch bowlers to his advantage, and raced to 50 off 25 balls.

Hardik Pandya scored 30 off 21 deliveries as the pair added 76 off 35 balls.

The Netherlands were never likely to reach their target. Bas de Leede made 33 and opener Michael Levitt hit 24.

Mystery leg-spinner Varun Chakravarthy picked up 3-14 in three overs, while Dube starred with the ball as well, taking 2-35 in three overs.

In Delhi, South Africa restricted the UAE to 122-6 with Corbin Bosch returning 3-12 from four overs and fellow paceman Anrich Nortje claiming 2-28.

The South Africans raced to 123-4 in 13.2 overs, taking the last seven runs in singles after their fourth wicket fell.

Rain delayed the start of South Africa’s reply, and then the first over netted just one run.

But the Proteas powered towards victory by adding 13 runs off the second over and 18 from the third, until Haider Ali bowled skipper Aiden Markram for 28 from 11 balls.

Dewald Brevis made 36 before he was out within two scoring shots of victory, and Ryan Rickelton hit 30 as the 2024 runners-up dominated the bowling.

For the UAE, Alishan Sharafu compiled 45 from 38 deliveries before he was caught in the outfield off Nortje’s bowling in the 18th over.

It was South Africa’s fourth consecutive win in the tournament, including a double-tiebreaker victory over 2024 semi-finalists Afghanistan that required two Super Overs.

The Proteas finished top of the ‘group of death’ – which also saw New Zealand qualify – and will take on India, West Indies and Zimbabwe in Group 1 of the Super Eights.

New Zealand, England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka are in Group 2.